[Wikipedia-l] What the front page of the wikipedia needs is a warning for children

Thu Nov 14 10:14:12 UTC 2002

> Would you support a more generalised warning, though? Perhaps a "WARNING
> TO PARENTS: wikipedia contains material that some consider unsuitable
> for children. We would like to encourage everybody to use information
> responsibly".

The first sentence implies that people who want to protect children from 
information somehow are especially relevant. What about people who want to
protect adults from information? Do we also want a WARNING TO CHINESE VISITORS:
Wikipedia contains material that some consider unsuitable for upstanding
citizens? There are certainly more concerned Chinese than concerned Americans.

The second sentence isn't NPOV at all, and has little meaning, because the
"responsible use" is not defined -- if it is subjective, then we don't need to
encourage people to do it.

What I could live with is: "Disclaimer: Wikipedia is an encyclopedia
covering a wide range of subjects and as such contains material that some people may
consider offensive to themselves, their offspring, their relatives, their
friends, their acquaintances and, in some cases, their pets. We do not take any
responsibility for alleged emotional, physical or metaphysical harm
resulting from use or abuse of this great tome of human knowledge." But I think the
short version of this disclaimer is to put a link on the word "encyclopedia".
Which, incidentally, is already there.

Regards,

Erik

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